"cultural traditions"
It would seem that one man's cultural traditions.......

A ROPE, A ROPE TO HANG THE POPE
A rope, a rope
Tae hang the Pope!
A pennyworth o' cheese
Tae choke him!
A pint o' lamp oil Tae wrench it down
And a big hot give Tae roast him!

is another man's dignity and right to peace and safety

COMMISSION GIVES PARADE GO-AHEAD
DAN KEENAN
THE PARADES Commission has approved a late application for a revised route at a controversial loy¬alist band parade in Co Antrim, The DUP had warned earlier o this week that widespread trouble would be provoked following an it earlier decision to ban the return leg of a band parade through Rasharkin tomorrow night.
Opposition from nationalist pro¬testers has been voiced for the past two years to the parade which led to the original Parades Com¬mission determination to curtail the original march.
But following the submission of a revised return route for the Bally-maconnelly Sons of Conquerors and up to 40 other bands yes¬terday, the Parades Commission granted permission.
DUP Assembly member Mervyn Storey said the developments were common sense.
"This is a mature decision which should be praised," he said.
"Whilst the unrepresentative republican residents group has a goal to stop all things Protestant in the village, the band has went (sic) the extra mile to ensure a peaceful and safe evening for all in attend¬ance."
In a statement the Ballymacon-nelly Sons of Conquerors insisted they did not wish to see any trouble. "We will conduct our parade the same way we always have, with dignity and discipline," it stated.
In Belfast SDLP North Belfast Assembly member Alban Magin-ness led a party delegation to the Parades Commission offices yes¬terday in connection with another loyalist band parade at Ardoyne, the scene of three nights of rioting after July 12th.
Objecting to the Royal Black Preceptory parade in Ardoyne on August 28th, he said: "The SDLP expressed to the Parades Commis¬sion our grave concerns about the potential for serious disturbance in Ardoyne if the parade is allowed to go ahead. We made clear to the Parades Commission we are totally opposed to any band accom¬panying the parade as this will only lead to increased tensions in the area."
He called for the commission "to show consistency in their deci¬sion-making as this parade is essentially the same as the parade of August 14th which the^ commission placed restrictions on".
IRISH TIMES

Jim Carroll